


The Change

by seri-kun (vanijane)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-15
Updated: 2013-09-15
Packaged: 2017-12-26 17:12:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/968447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vanijane/pseuds/seri-kun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His face that had been twisted in rage, confusion, desparation, pain and humiliation was now cracked with bright eyes that showed fire, determination, purpose and a grin that was nearly frightening because how, how could he grin like that?</p><p>Mikasa and Armin were confused, perplexed and came up with answers but they couldn't just trust the answers they came up with because Eren never smiled as widely and with hope since the fall of Maria. Even with them, it was never so wide and so bright.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Change

**Author's Note:**

> Made this quickly on my phone since my laptop is broken again.
> 
> Any errors, please inform me. ^^  
> I will recheck this later when I get to school though since I'm running late now.

It was a big mystery that when they last saw each other, Eren had been a mess of blood, bruises and dried tears. He was called to court where they would have decided if he should die or not but he was beaten up like a dog, like a lesser human in front of everyone. He didn't deserve it - not when he helped seal the broken wall. He didn't deserve to be treated like dirt, like a titan.

But when they see him now, and it had been sometime since then, he has since healed all his cuts and bruises from that ordeal but had a few fresh ones on his arms and face. His face that had been twisted in rage, confusion, desparation, pain and humiliation was now cracked with bright eyes that showed fire, determination, purpose and a grin that was nearly frightening because how, how could he grin like that?

Mikasa and Armin were confused, perplexed and came up with answers but they couldn't just trust the answers they came up with because Eren never smiled as widely and with hope since the fall of Maria. Even with them, it was never so wide and so bright.

When they had met Eren, he had been the only one left of the Levi Squad in camp. Hanji was supervising him for the mean time and it surprised the new recruits because wasn't Eren considered to be a threat just as he was considered the last hope? Levi wasn't around to stop him should anything happen but Mikasa was confident Eren wouldn't ever hurt them and she was also glad the devil wasn't there because he hurt her brother so bad and she hadn't repayed him yet.

"Are they giving you a hard time, Eren?" She had asked him the first night they were in the Survey Corps castle.

"Well, not really...I guess." Eren answered her and Mikasa was glad because he still sounded like her brother, almost sounding like that boy she knew before the wall fell. "I've gotten used to it, I think. Even the cleaning and the Corporal has really high standards."

At the mention of the devil, Mikasa nearly went wild with fury but she settled with clutching Eren's sleeve in her hands and embracing him. She could only imagine what else Eren had to go through alone in the camp, in his squad but as she held him, she wouldn't let them lay another finger on him because she was here and she would give her life to protect Eren.

It was Armin during the second day of their arrival at the camp that he got to really talk to Eren. Even if it was only for the briefest of moments, he could see a change in his best friend. He was more confident, shinning a bit brighter in a time when it was too hard to do and he was getting farther away, wasn't he?

"No one's scared of you here?" He asked before he could stop himself and paused abruptly at his dusting on the shelves to look at Eren, afraid he might have offended his only best friend.

"At first they were, we all were...well, I don't know about the Corporal, though." Eren answered non-chalantly as he continued to wipe the windows clean, "But it's gotten a lot better now - I mean, they left me here without a proper guard, right? So, they probably trust me now, right? But I am pissed they didn't bring me along."

At that Armin laughed and resumed his cleaning because at least that part of Eren didn't change.

"Say, Armin, after this, we're still seeing the ocean." Eren said with longing in his voice as he stared out the window and into the forests. "With...with everyone. Let's all see the ocean."

"It's a promise." Armin smiled and thought that didn't lose his best friend afterall. It was still Eren.

By the fourth day, it was almost getting ridiculous because even the other recruits had seen the change from an angst ridden and raging teen to someone who happily took orders and cleaned the second floor of the castle at least twice a day when none of the Levi Squad members were even using it.

"I don't know what they did to him but he looks happy." Reiner commented as they went on about their daily chores just as Eren passed by, running with a sack of logs slung over his shoulder.

"No shit." Jean grunted, struggling with the sack of horse feed he had to carry. "Who the hell does chores enthusiastically like that?"

"There is Armin and Krista -"

"They don't count!"

And so the conversation continued down with friendly banter and insults but they never did solve why Eren felt like a changed man - for better or worse they weren't sure but if it meant that he wouldn't backstab them by turning titan, then it had to be for good.

After a week, everyone had gotten used to Eren's pleasant company. He was still difficult with Jean but they no longer threw punches at each other as often and he was up before anyone to do chores and training and was the last to sleep because he was cleaning. Nothing would have surprised them at that point unless it was Eren suddenly shifting and turning into a titan to eat them all but that hadn't happened and wouldn't ever now that the Levi Squad had returned.

It was mid-morning when they arrived on horseback looking dirty, tired and fatigued. Hanji had met them formally but everyone else saw because they were busy with chores before heading to train and they also wanted to see the infamous Levi Squad so close and near.

Then Eren, who had been running around with a large basket of laundry, came and stopped to greet his squad captain and comrades. Petra, the sole female in the squad, had taken him into her embrace while Erd and Gunther roughly but affectionately petted him. It was as if they had finally come home to their baby brother - disturbingly so because these were elites with the highest titan tally count and they were petting a titan shifter.

"All of you get to your chores." Levi instructed, breaking the tender moment and watched as everyone detached themselves from Eren and bid a quick see you later before taking their horses to the stables.

"Sir, should I take your horse, too?" Eren asked as everyone was leaving. 

"Auro, take my horse." Levi had said and once Auro had taken his horse, moved towards the castle. "Eren, follow me."

Eren took the basket of laundry and followed in silently. Armin and Mikasa tensed as they watched Eren follow Levi into the castle alone, remembering that horrible incident in the court rooms. Mikasa had dropped what she was doing to run after Eren but Armin had restrained her -

"Armin!"

"You can't, Mikasa! He might into more trouble!"

But Mikasa wouldn't relent and they were causing quite a scene. The other new recruits had gathered around and some had tried to reason with Mikasa but the girl was adamant in getting to her brother that they had given up. Armin had the sense to follow after her and they ran up the stairs towards the second floor because that was where Levi's office and room was.

"Eren!" Mikasa gasped as soon as she heard the sound of the basket being thrown down on the concrete floor and of a body being pressed to a wall.

Her speed increased and Armin had to struggle to catch up to her. When he made the last push on the last step, he caught himself midway to avoid crashing at Mikasa who had suddenly stopped and just stood there. He peeked from behind her, expecting to see Eren being bloody and bruised and cut up when -

Armin quickly pulled the both of them behind the wall to hide because what they saw was the last thing he ever thought would have happened.

"E-Eren, g-get off, shitty brat!" Levi's voice echoed breathlessly into the empty hall.

"I waited all week, captain." Eren's voice was almost a whine but only assertive. Then there there was a pause and the sound of hitched breath.

"This is unsanitary!" Levi snapped, his voice strained. "These walls -"

"I cleaned the entire floor the past week, captain." Eren explained, his voice deep and nothing like Armin or Mikasa ever heard of. "I thought of you as I did, thought of pushing you up this wall, dragging my tongue everywhere...over here and -"

A moan.

"- here, too." Eren chuckled almost darkly then clearly, unteasingly and honestly, "Levi, I missed you."

"Damn brat. Couldn't wait until the bedroom." Levi snapped but lacked fire then words weren't spoken but Armin could hear the sound of wet kissing and turned beat red.

"I missed you too, Eren."

A pleasant sound came from Eren, almost like a purr of content -

"I'm tired so it's your turn to fuck me. This better be good, brat or I'll fuck you so hard you can't walk for a week even with your titan healing."

A growl and then Levi's loud gasp of Eren's name and a curse. 

It was at that point that Armin had realized he had lost the strength in his legs moments earlier and was now sitting on the ground. Beside him, Mikasa stood frozen and shocked as he was. Nothing could have prepared them for this and how would they ever face Eren much later?

As he slowly collected himself, the thought that this was the reason for the change crossed his mind and it did make sense, if only the outcome. But how it ever happened was a mystery because Levi had beaten up Eren to near death and anyone, anyone would have been scarred by such an ordeal but Eren - Eren wasn't. 

He had managed to get both Mikasa and himself out of there but took Mikasa to her room. Armin was sure she was taking it much harder than he was and would come to wrong conclusion so he said what he had to.

"He's happy, you know."

At those words Mikasa snapped out from her confused thoughts and let it sink into her, remembering how she just enjoyed and was happy for Eren's behaviour the past week - and it was also thanks to the devil. She wasn't sure if she should be happy or not but Eren was and she couldn't stop that. She didn't have the heart to because this was Eren.

Understanding wasn't easy and when they saw Eren chatting animatedly with the Levi Squad later that supper time, it was hard not to notice that he sat next to the Corporal and the few glances their friend sent to the terrifying soldier, which was returned, seemed too obvious than it should be. It made Armin feel uncomfortable and Mikasa wanted to hurt someone, preferably a dark haired shorty but didn't act upon it.

Dinner was long and drawned out but before it could finish, Levi had stood up, his chair scraping on the floor as he did.

"Are you retiring already, Levi?" Hanji asked with a small frown, she still had many things she wanted to ask about their last mission.

"I have paperwork to finish." Levi answered with a weary sigh and flexed his tired shoulders.

"Shall I accompany you, sir? I can massage you." Eren proposed bravely and it seemed (to Armin and Mikasa who were listening too intently that the others had began to do so, too) that all action in the room had stopped.

"Let's see if you haven't gotten rusty from my leave, brat."

Since then, everything that came out of either Eren or Levi's mouth, but mostly Eren's, sounded like a come on.

They also found out Eren was only ever pleasant and the model soldier when he wasn't getting any from Levi because when he was, he was rarely around and was usually late to everything but Levi's beck and call.


End file.
